Ella has arrived! A sweet 6 lb addition to our family. We now have 4 generations of females under one roof!
After having her first child, Noah, by cesarean, our daughter Rachel desperately wanted to try vaginal birth with Ella. When she learned that the hospitals in our area don’t allow VBAC’s (vaginal birth after cesarean) she began searching for the closest hospital that would. After lots of consideration, Rachel and Jon made the decision to change their doctor so Ella could be delivered at UCLA Medical Center. At the prenatal visits Rachel was able to meet all 4 UCLA Midwives and she felt comfortable with everyone before the birth. Harla Yaeger was the midwife on call who delivered Ella and they had a great experience! There were no complications and Rachel was able to deliver Ella vaginally without medications. Exactly what she had hoped and prayed for.
Noah (almost 4) is adjusting well to having a baby sister. He frequently reminds us that he is now a BIG brother. No signs of jealousy yet and he often says he wants to “be by Ella” so Mom puts her in the bouncy seat next to him as he eats breakfast. Noah’s first gift to Ella was a very large bunny. I tried to steer him towards the smaller one but he insisted she needed the BIG bunny! Maybe because it’s from her BIG brother.
As I watch Ella sleep, I am in awe of God’s perfection and am overcome with gratefulness. What have we done to deserve three wonderful children and now our 5th grandchild? Nothing, God is just gracious.
Watching the news or reading the headlines can leave us feeling anxious or uncertain about the condition of our world. I am comforted by the quote by Carl Sandburg, “A baby is God’s opinion that the world should go on.” Regardless of worldly circumstances, God loves children and welcomes them into this world. They bring joy and their innocence and vulnerabilities remind us of what is truly important – loving and caring for others.
Ella, now in her fifth day, has a world of opportunities and challenges ahead of her. I hope as grandparents we will encourage, inspire, nurture, correct and always have the opportunity to share in the lives of all our grandchildren. They are truly a blessing – the best part of growing older…
This post linked to the GRAND Social
